


Free Hugs

by CassieWritesDestiel



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Pendragon Is King, Arthur Pendragon Needs a Hug, Canon Universe, Hugs, M/M, Merhur - Freeform, Pranks, and he gets it, can be seen platonic, silly fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-04 08:24:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15837474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CassieWritesDestiel/pseuds/CassieWritesDestiel
Summary: Merlin plays a little prank on Arthur.





	Free Hugs

Merlin grumbled as he tried to get the resin from his hands, but instead it seemed to stick everywhere and the warlock got even more frustrated. Gaius needed the resin for something and so he had sent Merlin to get some and now he had to deal with the natural glue. He rubbed over his palm and fingers with a cloth in an attempt to ease the disgusting feeling of the sticky substance on his skin, but instead just glued the cloth to his hand. With a curse on his lips, he removed the fabric from his skin. As he stood up to get some water, he accidently touched a piece of paper which was laying around on the table and it stuck to his fingers. He sighed and moved to get rid of it as an idea sparked in his mind.

Arthur had been a bit grumpy lately, the negotiations with the other kings didn’t go the way he hoped, he still had to live up to their image they had of Uther so they didn’t give him much credit yet and it annoyed and stressed him. The weird way in which people acted around him on this day didn’t help his mood either. People kept looking at his back with a frown or a laugh, and some simply walked up to him and hugged him. It took Arthur by surprise every time, and if he didn’t accidently hit them out of instinct and had to apologize, most of them were gone again before he could ask them why they hugged him.

Gwaine snorted as he saw the note on Arthur’s back which read ‘Free hugs’ and then he wrapped his arms around the startled king. The other knights laughed as Arthur snapped at him, but Gwaine only grabbed the paper sticking on Arthur’s back and held it out for everyone to see. “I didn’t think you’d ever be this desperate for hugs, Sir,” he joked and Arthur tried to rip the note from Gwaine’s hand to see for himself, while his face shone slightly red with a blush. The king managed to snap the paper from the knight and examined it, at least the mystery of people’s weird behaviour around him was solved, but now there was another question to be answered. After his knights all swore that they weren’t the pranksters, at least not this time, Arthur went on to search for the person with the bravery and ability to pull this prank on him.

He sat over the note at his table, hoping the paper or the handwriting would give him any clues on who the perpetrator was. Merlin came in with the lunch and Arthur looked up, frowning as he realized his servant had every possibility to prank him, and if he didn’t, maybe at least he knew something about the act.

“Merlin, do you know what that is?” he asked, pointing at the note.

“A piece of paper?“ Merlin guessed, unsure why the king needed clarification about something as simple as that. 

“I can see that, idiot! Someone stuck it to my back, I’ve been walking around with it the whole morning!“ Arthur was furious, much to Merlin’s amusement. 

“Oh, maybe someone thought you needed a hug…,“ he suggested, barely holding back a snicker. 

“This isn't funny, Merlin!” Arthur exclaimed and Merlin straightened his face to a serious expression, though the corner of his lips could barely be tamed. 

“It's a nice gesture, don't you think?“ Arthur looked at Merlin in this confused and irritated way in which he always looks at his servant when he isn't sure what he’s up to or questions his sanity. 

"A nice gesture? Are you out of your mind?" He asked, not getting his servant’s point at all. Someone played a prank on him, how could that possible be a nice gesture? 

"Well, people do usually hug to comfort each other, or when they're happy to see each other,... all nice things" Merlin explained and there it was again, his smile brightening up his whole face. Arthur had calmed down a bit, but he was still angry. 

"Shut up, Merlin,” he demanded, and then he proceeded to ask him a question. ”Do you know who did this?“ 

"I don't know, why would I know who did this?" Merlin rambled, hoping to not give himself away when he kind of did with his rambling, but as always Arthur believed every word his friend said. 

"No, you don't even know where your head is, why would you know?" Arthur shook his head and walked over to the table to devour his lunch, but he was stopped by surprisingly strong arms wrapping around him from behind. The king tensed, ready to throw off whichever enemy managed to get into his chambers and was attacking him, but to Merlin's luck he realized what actually was happening before he started to defy himself and relaxed. “Merlin, what the hell are you doing?” 

Merlin pressed his face into the king’s back with a smile as he hugged him from behind. He hold onto him a little longer before he loosened his grip, and Arthur turned around just as he mockingly said, “Oh, I thought you're giving free hugs today?“ Arthur blindly reached behind him and then threw the first thing he could get his fingers on at his servant, which was his cup filled with wine. Merlin quickly ducked, being used to this by now, but that didn't save him from the wine raining down on him. Arthur already reached for another thing to throw and Merlin hastily made his exit through the door, already a giggling mess over his successful prank. 

 


End file.
